This invention relates to improved safety wheels for preventing a truck or other heavy motor vehicle from going out of control in the event of a tire blow-out or other deflation of the tire.
Loss of inflation of a tire while a vehicle is traveling at rapid speed can result in a very serious accident, particularly in the case of a truck or other very heavy vehicle. The danger is especially great when the front tire of such a vehicle becomes deflated, because of the use of the front wheels in steering, and because dual tires cannot be employed in the front as in the back.
In order to minimize the danger in the event of such deflation of a tire, prior expedients have been proposed which include annular rigid elements located within the tire and adapted to prevent its deflation beyond a certain point. These arrangements, however, require very special wheel and tire structures which are complex and expensive. It has also been proposed that a flange be connected to the wheel mounting hub by the usual lug nuts, and project outwardly at the outside of the tire for engagement with a road surface upon deflation of the tire.